A/N: OK, so the time stamp thing is going on vacation for a while. It sends it's love to all you who wrote great reviews and curses Dick Wolf for refusing to let these guys out to play! Thanks.

Chapter 6

Olivia spent the next day holed up in her apartment. Elliot called but she'd come up with some apprently believeable excuses as to why she couldn't spend time with him. She needed time to think about the letter.

Elizabeth Atherton was giving her more than just a key to a safety deposit box; she was giving her a window into her daughter's life. Pieces of Grace's life that only a mother would know and remember. The idea that this woman who'd raised her daughter would care so much about her was mind boggling.

She knew that Grace didn't know about the letters or the box. The envelope had been sealed and it hadn't looked like anyone had tampered with it, so she had a decision to make. Did she tell Grace and read the letters with her or did she keep the secret to herself and treasure the snippets of her baby's life in the most private parts of her heart? Because she knew that she couldn't leave those letters there. They were part of her daughter's soul and she needed something to hold on to.

Finding Grace had come as a surprise. She'd locked her feelings up and tried her best to live her life without letting the guilt she felt blind her. She'd suceeded for the most part, but seeing Grace walk into the squadroom, reading that letter, had burst through her protective walls and she was stumbling into uncharted and dangerous territory.

Elliot stood outside her door. He knew she had been avoiding him all day and he was worried. She'd always kept things to herself but she'd never avoided him before. He wanted deperately to talk to her. She'd made him promise not to call, but he'd assumed that she would call him and let him know how things went. He was startled out of his reverie but the sounds of 'My Humps' coming from his cell phone. Lizzie must have changed his ring again.

"Stabler," he said out of habit, not even bothering to check the caller i.d.

"Get your ass in here. My neighbor called and said that I've got a threatening looking man standing outside my door. She wants to know if I should call the cops. What do you think I should tell her?" Olivia teased.

"Funny," he said opening her door and closing his phone. "Maybe you should tell her that the scary man is a cop. Bet that would cheer her up."

"I don't think that would help. She doesn't believe anyone without a uniform is legit. She didn't even believe that I was on the force until I showed her my dress uniform," she said smiling from her position underneath a huge comforter, the remains of her soup dinner still on the coffee table. "What are you doing here?"

He smiled. She didn't seem particularly upset so he crossed the room and kissed her before sitting in front of her on her coffee table. "I was worried. I hadn't heard from you in over 24 hours."

"You know how many hours it's been since we talked?" He ducked his head. "Come on, El. How many is it?"

"Twenty-seven," he said avoiding her gaze.

She laughed. "Oh my god! You are too much!"

"Glad I could help," he said sarcastically, pretending to be hurt.

She put her arms around his neck and kissed him gently. "I'm glad you came over. I missed you."

"For all twenty-seven hours?"

"For all twenty-seven hours and thirteen minutes," she said pulling him tighter and kissing him again.

"You want company under there?" he asked when they finally came up for air.

She pulled the blanket tighter around her. "Yeah. You know anyone who wants the job?"

"I might. Want me to call him?"

"I would but I think he has the Black Eyed Peas as his cell phone ring. I could never be with a guy like that," she teased. "Why do you have that on your phone anyway?"

"I'll tell you if you let me in there with you," he said gesturing to the couch and her comforter.

"All right," she said making room for him. She curled into him as he settled on the couch.

"Lizzie," he said.

"What?"

"She's the reason I have the Black Eyed Peas, not to mention Britney Spears and Justin Timberlake, on my phone. She thinks it's funny"

They sat in silence for a few minutes watching some new crime drama. They both were enjoying their newfound closeness. Elliot had missed the simple things that came with being in a relationship, cuddling on the couch, eating together and the bonding that came with it.

After a while Olivia spoke up. "It went good, Elliot. Lunch was fun and then we went back to her apartment and looked at some of her old photos. There was even one from the hospital. She was still wearing the i.d. bracelet that said Baby Benson."

"Is that how she found you?" he asked pulling her closer.

"Probably. I didn't ask." She was quiet again.

"What aren't you telling me, Liv?"

She looked into his eyes, astounded that he knew her that well. "How do you do it?"

"Do what?"

"Look at me and know."

"It's a gift. Don't change the subject. What else happened?"

She took a deep breath. "She wrote me a letter, El."

"Who? Grace?" he asked, confusion written on his face. "Why would she write you a letter?"

"No. Not Grace. Her...her mom," Olivia said slowly, watching Elliot closely.

He was quiet for a moment. "Wow. That's big."

"I know."

"So what did it say?"

"Here. Read it."

"Are you sure you want me to?" he asked softly.

"Yeah. I'm sure," she said handing him the letter.

He was speechless. For that woman to have written that letter was amazing but for her to have written to Olivia as Grace grew up; that was beyond amazing.

"Wow. She must have been an incredible woman. Did Grace say when she...ya know?"

"Yeah. She said it only happened a year ago. When Grace was young, Elizabeth's cancer went into remission until just a couple of years ago. After that, I guess it went pretty quick after that."

"So, what are you going to do?"

"I don't know yet. I'm pretty sure Grace didn't know what was in this letter and I doubt she knows about the other ones. I'm not sure how she is going to react to all this. She could see it as a betrayal. Like her mom is giving away a piece of their relationship."

He thought about it for a moment. "I guess she could see it like that or maybe she would see it as a link to past. A way for her to remember the good times."

"Yeah. Hey, did you bring clothes?" she asked abruptly changing the subjet.

"Yeah," he said sheepishly. "They're in the car."

"Planning to stay the night?" she teased.

"No," he said turning serious for a moment. "Just hoping."

She softly at him, then turned to him seriously. "El, what are we doing here?"

"What do you mean?" he asked stalling for time by gathering up her empty cup and soup bowl and taking them to the kitchen.

"You know what I mean, Elliot," she said following him. "We both know that we have feelings for each other, but where do we really want to take this? Where do you want this to go?"

"Liv," he said sitting her back on the couch and facing her, "When I wake up every mourning you are the first thing I think of, when I go to bed you are the last thing I think of, and when I can't see you or touch you or even just talk to you I go crazy. I love you. Whatever happens between us, I'm in. I'm all in."

Her hands found his and pulled him to her. Their foreheads touching, their breath mingling she promise him, "God, Elliot. I've wanted you too, for so long. Longer than I ever had a right to. I love you, too. So much."

They each knew that they were starting the rest of their lives in that one moment. Whatever life would bring them, they would face it together with love and determination. They sealed their vows to each other with a kiss that was a soft and sweet as it was hungry and demanding and above all filled with love.

A/N: 'My Humps' belongs to the Black Eyed Peas and is probably copywrited out the wazoo. Also, there was a quote from Gilmore Girls in there.